[Welcome to the Zero-Cause Matrix, Lucian.
I'm sure you must be confused or angry. Perhaps both. But rest assured, the System is designed to benefit its Host in any way, shape or form. Its sole purpose is to ease your path to strength, through the completion of Quests.
Each time you accept a Quest, you make a choice, one strong enough to fracture the probability web of the universe.
The paths you did not walk collapse. But instead of wasting their energy, the System uses the Zero-Cause Matrix to siphon it back to you as Experience(XP).
The greater the Quest, the greater the collapse. The more XP you earn.]
Lucian regarded the text with thinly veiled skepticism. An alien entity intended to help him grow strong? How absurd was that?
However, he couldn't ignore the existence of this System, especially after reading further into what it entailed.
Name was the easiest part, as were his age and race. But from then on, things started to get more complicated. The Bloodline of the Demon King came with a strange set of boosts that Lucian had long taken for granted.
[Bloodline – Demon King]
Might: +20, +3%
Speed: +15, +2%
Arcane: +15, +2%
Spirit: +10
Sight: +12
His rank, being Mortal, was easily understood as the classification of his existence, just as Alana was an Awakened being, and Lilith was an Exalted one.
If there was one thing that confounded him the most, Path would certainly be it. It offered no explanation whatsoever, simply listing it as his Path—the alignment toward a certain outcome, whatever that meant.
Next came the stats. Might represented strength, resilience, and stamina of the body; Speed defined agility, dexterity, and reaction time. Arcane was the sum total of Mana, knowledge, and control over said Mana. Spirit was the singular attribute that worked to fill in the gaps and enhance the other stats. It focused on thinking speed, boosted casting and conjuration, and increased the power of Mana enhanced attacks. It could even aid Sight, which enhanced perception, thereby helping with comprehension and learning speed.
The Path was meant to be advanced by completing Quests or performing rare actions.
His Traits included Infernal Eyes and Demonic Charm.
[Infernal Eyes (Trait)]
Your eyes burn like the fiery depths of Hell.
Effect: You can exert pressure on Souls and see through Shadows and Illusions.
+10 Spirit
[Demonic Charm (Trait)]
Your supernatural charisma gives you an otherworldly allure.
Effect: People of the opposite sex find themselves drawn to you.
It appeared that Demonic Charm didn't offer much in the way of a stat boost. Lucian had known about Infernal Eyes, a trait very common in their family line. Demonic Charm, however, was something he found both intriguing and acceptable.
[Demonic Energy Manipulation II]
You can refine and shape your demonic energy to launch projectiles, enhance weapons, or manifest acts of Arcane principles.
[Demonic Aura III]
The presence of your Soul strikes fear in your enemies' hearts. This aura marks you as dominant within your space.
[Sword Mastery II]
Depicts your mastery of the sword. You are able to use your sword in conjunction with your demonic energy.
[Infernal Flame III]
Being a Demon with the Bloodline of the Demon King, you are able to control the extremely hot Hellfire. You can shape these flames in any form. Inflicts damage on the Spirit of those attacked.
All the Skills appeared to be the crystallization of his hard-earned prowess. The only thing of note was the Tier classification of the Skills. The lower the Tier, the weaker the Skill.
At last, Lucian directed his gaze toward the Titles.
[Prince of Pandemonium]
Grants you authority over lesser demons and command over lesser fiends.
Might: +10
Arcane: +5
Spirit: +5
[King of Hell]
The ultimate authority over all demonic lifeforms and command over all infernal laws.
Might: +2%
Arcane: +3%
Spirit: +2%
Sight: +2%
The bonuses afforded by the Titles were by far the most delightful, besides what the Bloodline offered.
At last, having finished examining the screen from top to bottom, Lucian muttered to himself, "This is wonderful."
Although he would have to see for himself how these stats fared in the real world, Lucian couldn't deny the appeal of this System. Originally, his goal was to get strong, and if it could help him in that regard, then there was no harm in accepting it.
"Not to mention that it has already merged with my soul," Lucian noted. "I don't have a choice either way."
Yet he couldn't remove the bitter taste lingering in his mouth.
Suddenly, Lucian's eye caught something on the screen—something he had missed entirely, and not because he hadn't seen it.
It was a small blinking dot, which, upon focusing, exploded across the screen in a burst of white.
[Bonded Artifacts]
...It read. Lucian blinked, reading further.
[Void Amulet – ??? (Damaged)]
Forged by the Star Saint Alchemist, it contains the fragment of the Primordial Chaos.
Might: +2%
Speed: +2%
Arcane: +8%
Spirit: +5%
[Frost Blade – Rare]
An icy blade forged from the blood of a Demon King mixed with Ice Elemental Essence.
Skills Attached: [Frost Wave]
[Spatial Pack – Epic]
A bag made of a special material called Illirium. Allows you to store any non-living entity.
Size: 50,000 m³
Lucian ignored everything else, focusing on the Void Amulet. The Frost Sword was something his father had gifted him a year ago, while the Spatial Pack was an Epic-grade artifact passed down through the generations to each Demon King. The Void Amulet, on the other hand, was what piqued his curiosity.
He recalled the key-shaped amulet his father had given him just yesterday, something his father had found in the Abyss. And now, suddenly, it appeared before him as a Bonded item. Needless to say, Lucian wasn't just suspicious, he was slightly furious as well.
"Did you know what would happen, Father? Did you sacrifice your life in vain?"
Lucian couldn't imagine it. His father, who had always possessed remarkable wisdom, had taught him never to act irresponsibly. Yet finding out that his father might've known all along, and still charged headlong into danger... Lucian was conflicted, to say the least.
"Either way, since there's a chance my father might've known about the System and still entrusted it to me. I will choose to accept it."
Before strength, all doubts suddenly vanished.